Button-attaching machine



P. R. GLASS.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. 191a.

Patented D60. 13, 1921 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

- P. R. GLASS.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAYH, 1918.

1,399,7 2, Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2' F g 8. I Fig. 9 I Wvavma UNITED STATES PATET F i Q E .PERLEY a. GLASS, or nnooKLnvn, aassacnusn'rrs, AfiSIGNOR r0 unrrnn SHOE MACHINERY conrona'rion, or rarianson, new JERSEY, a oonronarroiv or new JERSEY,

ofbutton attaching machines which is particularly adapted for handling eye shank shoebuttons and attaching them to work, suchas the button fly of a shoe, by means of wire staples. Itwill be understood, however, that many features of the invention a'renot limited tothis particular application, either as regards the particular form of button or the particular form of staple shown and de scribed. y

The general object of the invention is to improve the operation of button attaching machines in respect to speed, accuracy, and facility of operation, and, in particular, to improve the mechanism for combining buttons and fasteners in the desired relation as they aretaken from their respective raceways and attaching them to the work.

Button attaching machines usinga metallic fastener are usually provided with a of the anvil is unobscured when the machine is in itsstop position, In the illustrated construction, the fastener raceway and the buttonraceway areboth laterally displaced from the anvil when the machine is started andthe button raceway is movable to present its endmost button with its eye in alinement with the anvil.

An important feature of the invention consists, in novel carrier mechanism organized to receive a fastener from the fastener raceway and position it over the anvil for removal by the driver. A further feature consists in the association of the same mechanism with the movable button raceway, the organization preferably including resilient means for positively positioning a fastener Specification of Letters Patent.

BUTTON-ATTACI-IING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921..

Application filed May 11, 1918. Serial No. 233,975.

in alinement with the eye of the endmost button;

Other features of the invention relate to the staple raceway and the transferrer mechanism associated therewith for removing the endmost staple and delivering it to the carrier mechanism associated with the button raceway. One feature of this general arrangement is to be recognized in the provision of novel means underlying the endmost fastener and constructed and arranged to support the fastener during removal from the raceway. As shown, this means comprises a transferrer constructed and arranged to support the lower extremity of the fastener positively against the action of gravity.

A specific embodiment of the invention will be described in the following specification and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show these and other features of the invention not specifically pointed out above. It will" be understood, however, that this preferred embodiment is capable of'modification and alteration without departing from the true scope of the invention.

In the drawings,--

Figure 1 is an elevation of theleft hand side of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an angular perspective of a portion of the machine taken from the right hand side near the front;

Figs. 3 and 4 are angular views of opposite sides of the end of the button raceway shown in operative relation to the driver and anvil;

Fig.5 is a front view of this mechanism with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 illustrates the staple retaining mechanism removed from the button raceway;

Fig. 7 is an angular view, from the rear, of the staple raceway and its associated transferrer Fig. 8 is an angular view, from the front, of a portion of the transferrer;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view showing the relation of the driver to an attached button and staple when the staple is of a particular sort; and

Fig. 10 is a plan view, partly in section, of the ends of the button and staple race- .ways and the staple transferrer.

The illustrated machine has been designed particularly for use in attaching previously fo med staples of the type shown in a combined pulley and fly wheel 14 and provided with cams 16, 18 and 20. A lever 22 pivoted to the base of themachine has a driver 24 adj ustably attached to its forward end and atits rear end is forked to surround a cam by means of which the said driver is actuated in timed relation to the other parts of the mechanism. Ananvil 26 is attached to the base of the machinein alinement withthedriverand acts in the usual manner to clench the staple which has been driven through the work.

Staples are supplied to the attaching mechanism by means of a staple raceway 80 supported, for example, by an arm 32 in fixed positionupon the machine. This raceway is here shown as designed for the pan ticulartype of staple covered by the abovementioned application but it will be obvious that it could equally well be designed to carry any desired type of metallic fa tener and could be supported in this or any other way. A suitable cover 84 of usual form may be provided over the raceway to prevent the staples from beingdisplaced during the operation of the machine. The staples may be supplied to this raceway from any usual form of hopper, not shown. Adjacent to the delivery end of the raceway is vertical plate 86 supported from the cover 34, which plate is spaced from the end of the raceway by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the attachingstaple, and, cooperating with the raceway and arranged for movement intermediate said wall and the end of the raceway, is a transferrer 40 "which is adapted to be reciprocated in substantially a straight line by suitable mechanism, here shown as comprising a rod 42 supported upon pivoted, links 44 from the'base of the machine and connected for actuation in the desired sequence by the cam 16 upon the main shaft of the machine. The forward link 44 is mounted upon an eccentric stud 45 so that the exact position of the transferrer with relation to the other mechanism may be accurately and readily adjusted. The transferrer will be seen to comprise a supporting member 46 positioned adjacent to the end of the race- Way at such a level that it will receive and support against the action of gravity a sta ple whichhas been forced off from the end of; the raceway and isr'esting against the vertical plate 36 (see Fig. 10) The supporting member 46 engages the staple along one of its major dimensions, in this instance its base. In connection with this supporting member 46 there is provided a pusher 48 adapted to engage the staple along another of its major dimensions, for example, along the side of one of its legs. This pusher 48 is preferably constructed as a thin plate whose thickness is approximately the same as that of the staple and is, therefore, approximately the same as the width of-the space between the end of the staple raceway and the vertical wall 36. When in a position opposite the end of the raceway, it prevents the delivery of staples therefrom. As a matter of precaution, the pusher 48 is preferably resiliently attached to the transferrer 40 by being mounted upon a block 50 which is slidably held on the transferrer by a screw 52 working in a longitudinal slot therein and is normally pressed to its forward position by a spring 54. This arrangement avoids any danger of breakage of parts in case one of the attaching staples should become caught or displaced during the operation of the machine.

Buttons are supplied to the attaching mechanism from a button raceway which is'constructed throughout a major portion of its length in the usual manner to receive the desired type of button and carry the same along to the attaching position upon its side so that it will be presented to the attaching mechanism with its eye in horizontal position to receive one leg of a staple forced into the work by the action of the driver 24. Certain features of this manner of presenting a button and of the illustrated fo an of driver, whereby the particular type of staple hereinabove mentioned, may be forced through the eye of abutton and brought into close engagement with the upper surface of the work, have been described and claimed in the application of Frank L. Harmon, Serial No. 12,142, filed March 4, 1915, which matured into Patent No. 1,282,225 on Oct. 22, 1918, and it will be noted from Fig. 9 that the driver is so constructed that a projecting portion thereof engaging a shoulder at the upper end of the staple passes through the eye of the button and brings said shoulder into close engagement with the work. Buttons may be supplied to this raceway from any suitable hopper, not herein shown.

The button raceway 60 is movably mounted upon the base of the machine by means of pivoted links 62 and, as in the case of the transferrer, there is provision for adjustment of the position of the forward end of the raceway by'meaus of an eccentric stud 63 forming a pivot for the forward link 62. In order to prevent lateral displacement of the forward end of the button raceway, the forward link 62 is guided eos m2 eye of the button projects beyond a side plate attached to the button raceway and, in the illustrated embodiment, beneath the lower edge of said plate. It will be noted that the opposite face of the side plate 70 is in alinement with the vertical wall 36 arranged adjacent to the end of the staple raceway. Means are then provided for pcsitioning the metallic fastener in predetermined relationto the endmost button in the studs 82 in the it said block and passing through the member 72. These parts then constitute a carrier constructed and arranged positively and resiliently to, retain an attaching; staple in predetermined relation to thedriver passage and hence to the driver and the endmost button in the but ton raceway. "The retaining member 78 is.

preferably beveled upon its upper edge in order to facllitate entrance of the end of the driverQt and again at one side to facilitate entrance of a staple delivered. thereto by the transferrer 40 through a passage formed by a recess 84 in the block 72 on the side toward. the staple raceway. The retaining member 78 is also provided with a vertical groove 86 resigned to receive one'leg of the attaclr inn; staple and thus assist in positively taining the same in position for removal by the driver. i

In operation, let us suppose that the button and staple raceways have been supplied with buttons and staples, respectively, and thatthe button raceway is in its rearniost position, indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the carrier 72 is in position to receive a staple delivered thereto by the transferrer 40. This transferrer, withwhich the member 46 is supporting a staple between theend of the raceway and the vertical wall 86, will,

by the action of its pusher 48, force a staple through the recess8a inthe carrier 72 past the lateral beveled surface of the retaining member 78.:to a position where its forward leg received in a groove 86 and such that &

it is in alinement with the eye of the end most button in the button raceway. For reasons already discussed in the application last mentioned above, the arrangement will be such that the leg of the staple received in the groove 86 is disposed nearer to one side of the eye of the button instead of being directed toward its exact center. it will be noted that when the pusher 48 of the transferrer is moved forward to deliver staple to the retaining mechanism, it will occupy the space between the end of the raceway 30 and the vertical wall 36 and will, therefore, prevent other staples from falling from the end. of the raceway. Even if it did not occupy this space, however, the arrangement is such that the supporting ledge 46 would only allow one staple to pass from the end of the staple raceway. The transferrer will now recede and the raceway with its staple retainingmechanism will move forward into position adjacent to the anvil 26 so that the driver may enter the driver passage 7 6 in exact relation to the head of the attaching staple and, being; forced downward by its cam, may drive the staple through the eye of the button and the work and clench the same against the anvil 26 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9. The button raceway, with the carrier 72 will then be drawn backward and the endmost button pulled out of the raceway past the spring 68, it being held at this time by the cooperation ofthe driver 24: and the anvll 26. The work will then be moved forward into position for a repetition of the cycle of operation. r

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. in a button attaching machine, but ton raceway, a fastener raceway, and fastener transferring means for removing a fastener from the raceway and delivering it to other mechanism of the machine, said transferring means being constructed and arranged to extend beneath the lower extremity of and to support said fastener during its removal from a position opposite the end of the fastener raceway.

2. In a button attaching machine, a fastener raceway, means for controlling the delivery of the fasteners from the raceway constructed and arranged to permit the passage of one fastener at a time, and transferring means for removing; a fastener from the raceway and delivering it to other mechanism of the machine, said transferring; means having a fastener-supporti11g element and an element for delivering a fastener from the supporting" element, said elements being movable together and being also arranged for independent movement to effect the delivery.

3. In a button attaching machine, a fastoner raceway, stop means separated from the end of said raceway by substantially the thickness of a fastener, and transferring means entering-the space between the stop meansand raceway and underlying the end most fastener, said transferring means being constructed and arranged to support said fastener during its removal from a position opposite the end of the fastener raceway.

I. In a button attaching machine, a fastener raceway, a stop plate separated from the end of the raceway by substantially the thickness of a fastener, 21- transferrer movable between said raceway and said plate and being provided with means for supporting a fastener during the time that it is be ng transferred, and a driver cooperating with the transferred fastener. I V

5. In a button attaching machine, a fastener racewa y, means separated from the end of said raceway by the thickness of a fasconstructed and arranged to prevent the outward passage of a plurality of fa. teners from the raceway, and movable means constructed and arranged for movement laterally between said raceway and said first mentioned means and beneath the fastener to" remove said fastener laterally from the raceway and to support and deliver it to other mechanism of the machine 6. Ina button attaching machlne, a racewa-y ranged to deliver button fasteners,

fastener transferring means for removing a fastener from the raceway, and delivering it with a button to other mechanism of the machine comprising means arranged to engage one side of a fastener during transference, and means held in resilient relation to move with said transferring means and arranged to engage the opposite side of the fastener during the transfer f the same. 7

7. In a button attaching machine, a race way for staple fasteners, and transferring means for removing a fastener from the raceway and delivering it to other mechanism of the machine comprising means constructed and arranged to engage the fastener along two of its major dimensions, including the length of the staple legs.

8. In a button attaching machine, fastener driving mechanism, fastener supplying mechanism disposed at the side of the driving mechanism, movable means for present ing a button to the driving mechanism, and a carrier movable inthe presentation of the button to present a fastener to the driving mechanism.

9. In a button attaching machine, fastener driving mechanism, fastener supplying mechanism, aimovable button raceway constructed and arrangedto present a button to the driving mechanism,- and carrying mechanism movable with said button raceway constructed and arranged to transfer a. fastener from the fastener supplying mechanism to the driving mechanism.

10. In a button attaching machine, fas toner driving mechanism, fastener supplying mechanism, a movable button raceway constructed and arranged to present a button to the driving mechanism, and a carrier in fixed relation to said button raceway and movable therewith constructed and arranged to receive a fastener from the fastener supplying mechanism and transfer it to the driving mechanism in fixed relation to the button to be delivered by the button raceway.

ll. In a button attachiilg machine, fastener driving mechanism, fastener supplying mechanism disposed at the side of the driving mechanism, a movable button raceway constructed and arranged to present a button to the driving mechanism, and a carrier constructed and arranged to transfer a fastener from the fastener supplying mechanism to the driving mechanism.

12. In a button attaching machine, an anvil, button supplying mechanism and fastener supplying mechanism disposed beside said anvil, a carrier movable with the button supplying mechanism and constructed and arranged to receive a fastener from said fastener supplying mechanism and transfer it to a position in alinement with said anvil, and a driver constructed and arranged to remove the fastener from the carrier and clench it against the anvil thereby to attach a button to the work.

13. In a button attaching machine, an anvil, a cooperating driver movable toward and away from the anvil, a fastener raceuuiy having its delivery terminal offset laterally from the line of movement of the driver, a button raceway terminating at one side of the anvil and movable to present its end most button with its eye over the anvil, and carrier means for receiving a fastener delivered by the fastener raceway and delivering it in a position in alinement with the eye of the button so that it may be removed from the carrier means and driven through the eye of the button into the work by the driver.

14. In a button attaching machine, fastener driving mechanism, a fastener raceway, a carrier constructed and arranged to receive a fastener from the fastener nice way and move it into position for removal by the driving mechanism, and transferrer mechanism for removing a fastener from the fastener raceway and delivering it to the carrier mechanism, said transferrer mechanism being movable in the same direction as said carrier mechanism.

15. In a button attaching machine, an unvil, a fastener raceway, a carrier constructed and arranged to receive a fastener from the fastener raceway and move it into a position adjacent to said. anvil, a transferrer mechanism for removing a fastener from the raceway and delivering it to the carrier mechanism, and a movable button raceway constructed and arranged to bring its endmost button into position adjacent to the anvil with its eye in alinement with the fastener held in the carrier mechanism.

16. In a button attaching machine, a raceway for buttons provided with retaining means adjacent to its delivery end for supporting a button with its eye in projecting relation, and means for temporarily retaining a fastener in predetermined relation to the eye of the endmost button.

17. In a button attaching machine, a but ton raceway provided with a driver passage adjacent to its delivery end and with re silient means for positively positioning a fastener in a definite relation to said driver passage in the raceway.

18. In a button attaching machine, a movable button raceway provided with a side plate and means for supporting the endmost button with its eye projecting beyond said side plate, and means carried by said raceway for, supporting a fastener against said side plate in predetermined relation to the projecting eye of the endmost button in the raceway.

19. In a button attaching machine, an anvil, fastener carrier mechanism provided with retaining means having a groove for the reception of the shank of a fastener, and means for moving said carrier constructed and arranged to bring said groove and the eye ipf a button alined therewith over said anv lid 20. In a button attaching machine, a button raceway, and a fastener retaining device in said raceway comprising resilient means provided with shallow groove in fined relation to the eye of the endmost button in the raceway for the reception of a portion of a fastener held by said retaining device.

21. in a fastener inserting machine, fastener positioning mechanism having relatively fixed and movable walls, one of which is provided with a driver passage and with apassage for the admission of a fastener angularly related to said driver passage and comprising means situated in a wall of intersecting portions of the passages for positively positioning a fastener delivered thereto, a driver, and a fastener transferring device movable in a path intersecting the path of the driver.

22. ltn a fastener inserting machine, a spring pressed plate constructed and arranged to co-act with a fastener positively to position the same, said plate being beveled at one side to allow the ready admission of a fastener being delivered thereto and beveled upon another side to allow the ready admission of a driver for removing a fastener therefrom.

23 In a button attaching machine, at-

taching mechanism, button and fastener raceways, and means carried by the button raceway for positioning a fastener for co operation with the attaching mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PERLJEY 1R. GLASS. 

